For several years, smartphones have been eating sales of traditional digital cameras. That comes as no surprise to avid smartphone photographers: the quality has improved dramatically and the ease with which smartphone photos can be shared (on social networks, via email, etc.) has proved so compelling. Samsung's Galaxy Camera is a clever attempt to meld the best features of a smartphone (the 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity, apps and interface) with the best features of a digital camera (larger, higher-resolution sensor, better lens, image controls).

The result is a hybrid camera that runs the full Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), connects to AT&T's 4G network (for a monthly $10 - optional), has Wi-Fi and a 4.8-inch touch screen. It features a 21x optical zoom lens, a 16-megapixel image sensor, and numerous scene modes to appeal to the photographic set.

So, did Samsung successfully smush a smartphone and camera into one? Not quite. At $500, the Galaxy Camera is far more expensive than a traditional camera with similar specs. Reviewers weren't thrilled with the image quality but were very intrigued by the concept and loved the Android UI for shooting. It seems that Samsung is onto something here, but it's not clear whether the demand will be there for a follow-up.